Today I read to Genesis 35, and a theme seems to be recurring so far in Genesis, and that is a pattern of certain sins passed down from father to son. Adam avoids taking responsibility for his actions, and tries to pass the blame, so does Cain. Abraham, instead of looking out for his wife, looks out for himself, similar to what Adam did, and Isaac follows in his footsteps. And now Jacob, who has been deceitful toward so many people, has sons. Is it any wonder that in their anger at what has been done to their sister, they turn to deceit? I'm jumping ahead of myself in the story now, but is it any wonder that Jacob's sons deceive him about the whereabouts of Joseph, and not only that but avoid responsibility and try to shift the blame for his disappearance to wild animals? It's the same old things - self-centred actions, neglect of responsibility toward others, and lying for fear of punishment. Unfortunately, this pattern doesn't end in Genesis. The ways in which people followed this pattern became very diverse over the years, but even today the pattern is the same. The sinful flesh that we've inherited down the years from Adam still has the same way of behaving. In fact, our culture tells us things like, "It's all about you!" or, "Let them take care of themselves. It's none of your business." or, "Tell people what they want to hear so that you'll get what you want." We all know how to give excuses to make ourselves look better, we don't have to be trained to shift the blame to someone else. The lies of the world that would tell us only to focus on ourselves sound so sweet because they echo what our flesh is saying.
I need to be careful how I live. It's clear that my actions will affect not only those around me, but future generations as well. I know that if I mentor others, or have children of my own, they will be able to make their own mistakes without learning any from me. I want to be a positive influence on others.
That brings me to the happier topic. It's not just sin and mistakes that can be passed to our children. The good things can too. God's covenant with Abraham was confirmed with Isaac, and then again with Jacob. The faith that God could do as He promised was passed down as well, and it is that kind of faith, as well as the promises of God, that I want to pass to those around me, and hopefully one day to my children.
God, may I be mindful of my thoughts and actions, the way they can sway my heart toward or away from You, and the impact they can have on others as well. Would You inspire me, and others, to be the kind of godly men (and women) who set a solid foundation for future generations to build on. May I draw others toward You, and not away. For Your glory and not mine. Amen.
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